Life after the Reaper 2 - Liara
by Servala
Summary: Some months have passed and everything seems great. However, Ashley ends up bringing some animals with her that, for the Asari, look like demons. As Liara's nightmares get worse, will she lose her mind when she can't forget the past?
1. Chapter 1

Ashley Williams had fulfilled one of her dreams. Ever since she was little, she always wanted to own a farm. A place where she could live with her family, with one or two horses and dogs. Now she was on her farm, on that small colony near Thessia where she had followed Shepard, and looked around happily.

Ash was still in the alliance and did not plan - other than Shepard – to leave the military too soon. She followed Shepard as commanding officer on the Normandy and she loved this new challenge. She was also proud of the fact that the name Williams was finally cleared of its guilt.

The Reapers couldn´t destroy all life on earth. Especially in rural areas as animals were able to survive. In addition, several scientists had cloned and recolonized a lot of them. Ashley had managed to buy a few Arabian horses and build a stable to have her own breeding. She loved these noble animals. If she, like now, spent time on the ground, she was accompanied every moment with her two dogs and James Vega.

She wrapped an arm around James and leaned on his big strong body. In the course of the struggle against the Reapers, they had come closer and then it went beyond the purely physical attraction. Although, she still had fun using him sometimes only physically.

She smacked him on his tight ass and then looked after her dog. How this very pretty animal had survived on Earth, was still a mystery to her. She was found by some soldiers, starving and in a sorry state. Ashley had been part of the team that searched and killed the last Reaper ground forces. As the poor creature approached her, she spontaneously fell in love with the female Golden Retriever.

Now, a year later, her coat gleamed again, golden in the sun. The fur was curled on her neck, she wore a light mane and she danced more than she ran. Thanks to cloning, Ashley had gotten the perfect partner for her and now stumbled six small puppies behind her mother.

Ash went to her knees and raised one of the tiny creatures. She would keep one, four had already a new family, but for the last little she still could not find the perfect home, even if Ashley already had a certain plan.

For her, children should grow up with a dog. Stupid was that Asari had not only panicked before the horses, the idea to ride them, brought each Asari off balance. Of dogs, however, they seemed to have developed a great fear. Unfortunately, this included the special Asari Ashley had hoped as the future owner of this puppy. Shepard was not a problem. Humans could not resist a baby mammal, but Liara? Ashley would at least try; otherwise Dr. Chakwas would take the pup.

"Li? Are you coming? "Shepard waited for a while for her wife to finally find the way out of the bedroom to join her. Aethyta had promised to take care of their daughter for a few hours. Ashley had invited them and Shepard looked forward to the visit. She hadn't had the opportunity to congratulate her on her promotion. "Li, I swear...you," she called impatiently up, but thankfully Liara finally came. Shepard was staggered every time anew when she saw her partner. Something that would probably never change.

As Liara entered the last stage, Shepard took her around the waist and spun her in a circle. Liara, who was familiar with this ritual, put her hands on Jane´s shoulders. Shepard let her slide slowly to the ground in front of her. Liara´s hands wandered to Jane's neck and both sank into a gentle kiss.

The Asari let her forehead lean against Shepard's. "Can you not simply go alone?"

Shepard looked her wife in the eyes and she tried very hard not to lose herself in them. She had to clear her throat and break eye contact. "Ash wanted to see both of us and we already agreed." She gave Liara a kiss on the nose. "So? Shall we?"

Liara sighed and nodded. "Have you programmed the route?" Shepard laughed. "You mean, if I want to drive?" Liara's eyes widened in panic and Shepard shook her head quickly. "I know that you do not like that." She grinned and kept the rest of the sentence to herself. She planned a detour to spend a little extra time with Liara.

Shepard had managed to distract Liara, but when Ash's farm came into view, the Asari was nervous again. "Are you not happy? We haven't seen them since the baby party." She attempted a smile. Liara was most afraid of Ashley horses. Shepard had not really understood it until Liara showed her a picture, and told her the matching story from the mythology of the Asari.

Thousands of years ago, when the Asari had just begun to establish colonies on nearby worlds, a strange incident occurred. The settled Asari disappeared. The matriarchs on Thessia sent a reconnaissance team, but only one Asari returned.

She told stories of a great demon. His body shone as black as night, and four – not six like usual - legs carried him fast like the wind. His eyes glowed red like two suns and in his mighty jaws he wore huge teeth. The Asari told how the demon had called to them at night.

They chained themselves, but one after the other followed the siren-like call and disappeared on the back of the demon. The next morning, the survivors found only the gnawed bones. In later centuries, the demon was never found, but any colonizing on that planet failed and the fear manifested in their genes.

Shepard found the similarity with terrestrial horses interesting and that Ashley had chosen black horses did not helped for sure. She could also explain to the Asari every so often that horses are pure herbivores. The Asari knew and understood it, but Ash's farm was still shunned by them. Only matriarch Aethyta did not seem to mind. They even came to them but not too close, but she didn´t avoided them either. "At my age, I'm too tough," her only comment was.

The shuttle landed and Shepard got out. She opened Liara's door gallantly, but the Asari hesitated. "Li. Come on," she said, smiling. This got her a nasty look but the asari got out, however keeping close to her side as they walked slowly towards the house.

Ashley and James waited outside the barn. Ashley was never tired of showing her horses to the Asari. Secretly it galled her that even Liara turned pale at the sight of these beautiful animals. She knew the story and the genetically developed fear, but found that the Asari could slowly grow over this tale.

"Commander," Shepard grinned and patted her on the shoulder. Ashley blushed, but the two women hugged. James shook Shepard's hand and nodded to Liara, but she was far too distracted by a small, gold-colored animal that slowly lumbered closer to her. Liara walked a few steps back and looked for help to Jane, but Shepard was distracted by something James and Ashley had said to her. The little creature was not to be swayed or distracted. It kept coming closer. Liara went back a few steps until she came back against a resistance. Suddenly, a large black head pushed beside her own and snorted.

Shepard turned around when she heard Liara screaming. The Asari stood completely motionless at the gate of the corral. One of the mares sniffed, clearly interested and a little puppy tried to climb up her boots. Would she not totally be in panic, the humans would certainly erupt in laughter, but Liara looked like seconds away from a circulatory collapse.

Shepard rushed to her and lifted the puppy in her arms before pushing the horse's head gently away. Ashley, who had followed her, took the puppy while Shepard embraced Liara. "Loco," muttered James. Ashley gave him a glare, but he just added, "Commander Shepard, saviour of the galaxy, rescues her wife from a puppy. Wrex will love it."

Liara snuggled up tight. The little creature did not really look dangerous, it had big, deep brown eyes, a black nose and was, if she understood her friends correctly, still a baby. If the adult ones did not have big teeth and did not look like the mythical representations of the mounts of the first Ardat-Yakshi... Liara had often wondered why many of the old mythology motifs seemed to look like animals from Earth and she planned to eventually to pursue this.

"You okay?" asked Jane gently and let her go again. Liara nodded, looking sceptically towards the rear, but the horse was gone back to the others. She was upset about it herself, but could not get this innate fear of horses off. She wondered whether the humans would laugh if they would see a real dragon or serpent in front of them. In fairness, she had to admit that no one really laughed. All three were understanding.

Ashley put the puppy down and whistled for her dog. Liara took Jane's hand, but the great dog ignored them completely and only nudged her cub back to the other. Immediately the pups began to play, what, Liara had to admit, was just simply sweet. They tried to knock the other down, ran a race, turned around in the running and jumping, chewed at each other till a soft squeak sounded and then let go. The female lay beside them in the grass and watched over the little rascals, while one of her babies tried to climb onto her back.

"Sweet isn't it?" Jane whispered to Liara and she could not help but nod. "Have you found an owner for them?" Jane knew from Ashley that she had not yet found a home for the last little one and the thought of a dog attracted her. She had learned everything about that certain race and found them perfect for her family. Only the idea that Liara would then never enter or leave the house anymore had stopped her from suggesting it – till now. She looked at her partner, who relaxed as she was watching the scene. The Asari was indeed not afraid of the animals; it was only through the stories of their myths.

"No, the small one you just saw has not found a family yet," Ashley said regretfully. Liara looked suspiciously between the two women, back and forth, and knew where it would lead. "Well, you had to try it here... among Asari," Shepard grinned. She took a piece of rope from James and went to the puppies. Liara watched in horror as all six immediately stifled by the rope and growled. Shepard was surprised by the force, landing on her back and was immediately tested as a new game option. The former Commander lay laughing on the floor and tried to stop the puppies from licking her face.

After a while even Liara forgot her horrors and fell into the amused mood. She even stroked one of the baby dogs carefully.

Later that evening, Dahlia was happy sleeping in her crib and Liara was snuggled closely to her wife. Shepard had not talked to her about the afternoon but Liara felt that her wife's brain was still working. She rolled over and Jane looked at her questioningly, but put her arms around Liara and gave her a kiss on the nose. She looked at Liara, but as she still had not said anything, Shepard gave her a gentle kiss on the lips until they were caressed by a slight smile.

"Let's visit the dogs again?" Liara broke the silence. "Would you like that?" Liara nodded. Shepard tilted her head as best she could. "You must not do that for me, they're sweet, but you're sweeter." To sample she gave Liara another kiss and hummed contentedly. "Jane ..." Liara sighed. Shepard managed to throw her completely off balance and have her forget what she really wanted to say. "Good, then we see them tomorrow and now come here." Jane rolled over in bed with Liara and gave her a passionate kiss...


	2. Chapter 2

Jane was rudely awakened when she was thrown back against the wall, but pain and adrenaline made sure that she was wide awake in seconds. She fell almost five feet down on the floor and somehow managed to land gently on her feet. After the events of the day, Jane was not really surprised. It was not the first time that Liara went through a horrible nightmare. They were both suffering from them at regular intervals, but the violence of this one was frightening.

Liara stood on the bed. Her eyes glowed black and her body was surrounded by a dark, blue light. Slowly she turned her head in Shepard's direction and a cold, cruel smile played on her lips. "Finally, she belongs to us," their eyes met and Liara's voice was so sharp that Jane shivered. Liara went to the window, looked once icily back to her and jumped.

"Liara," Shepard yelled frantically after her, got to her feet and sprinted outside. There, she turned in a circle. Her heart was beating rapidly and fear suffocated her throat. Then she saw in the distance a blue glow that slowly moved towards the settlement. Shepard did not hesitate and ran.

She found Liara half an hour later. She lay collapsed on the edge of the village, very close to Ashley's farm. When she took Liara in her arms, the Asari woke up. Shepard was afraid for a moment, but Liara's eyes shone in the minimal light like two dark blue sapphires. "Jane?" She looked around. "Everything's okay sweetheart, I'm taking you home," Liara nodded confused. "You had a nightmare," Jane murmured. She would not let Liara walk on her own and held her safe in her arms. In the last thirty minutes, she had played through all kinds of horrible scenarios in her head and she needed to be close to her wife, to feel her.

On the direct route, they were back to their home in less than ten minutes. Jane sat Liara carefully in the bedroom on the bed. Liara was a complete mess. She clung close to Shepard, unwilling to let her go. "You have to talk to Dr. Chakwas," Jane said softly, feeling a nod at her shoulder. She held Liara in her arms and once the Asari had fallen asleep again, Jane allowed herself to relax.

Shepard woke up alone, but from the kitchen she heard the usual sounds of the morning. She looked out into the garden and thought of the events of the night, but then shook her head and stood up slowly. Her neck and back muscles groaned in protest under the strain and as she rolled her shoulders, it ached.

Jane walked down to the kitchen and bathed in the picture that presented itself to her. Liara was standing with her back to her and trying to persuade Dahlia not to throw breakfast throughout the room. Without any success as it seemed, because the kitchen looked like a battlefield, which, like Shepard saw, the least chaos that could be caused by the baby.

Shepard went behind her wife and embraced her with one arm. Liara turned to her and immediately, the desperate expression on her face vanished. Jane gave her a kiss on the forehead and then took Dahlia, who chuckled happily at the sight of her father. The baby was peaceful within seconds and was fed by Shepard without any problems.

Jane leaned her hip against the table and looked at Liara, who tried to clean up the mess, but Liara and kitchen were two things that exclude each other. Jane stifled a giggle when a bowl of fruits fell to the ground. "Let me do this, sweet," she said quickly before further disaster could happen. Liara gave her a desperate smile, but just nodded. After a few minutes, she took the baby to her small bed in the living room.

Shepard took the time to disappear into the bathroom. She listened, but Liara seemed busy and so she took off her shirt to see the damage. She breathed in with a hiss. Her entire upper back shimmered purple. She touched what she could reach and winced. She would have to go to Karen, she thought. "Jane?" She looked up and saw Liara in the mirror, looking at her anxiously. "I thought it was just a dream," she added flatly. She went to her into the bathroom, took some MediGel and put it gently on her skin. Shepard had to grit her teeth, to stifle a groan. "Better?" Liara asked softly and Jane nodded.

She turned to Liara and took her in his arms. "You just had a bad dream, honey," she murmured as the Asari shuddered in her embrace. She held her firmly for a while and then gave her a kiss on the nose. "I can't remember anything," Liara said thoughtfully. "Nothing from last night?" Liara shook her head. "I usually remember my nightmares, but not from last night." Shepard grinned at her. "Do you drink secretly?" Liara looked outraged and pushed her gently. When Jane did hit exaggerated, she laughed. "You're impossible," she said softly.

"It´s not that bad, but perhaps no more tea before bedtime. That stuff contains more sugar than anything else." Liara braced a hand on her hip. "You know that is not true, it´s just the fruits." Shepard grinned. "Li, the stuff gets stuck if you swallow it. I do not know how you get it down, or how you've been able to for years!" She took Liara at the waist and pulled her closer to give her another soft kiss. Liara clung to her with a sigh and Jane immediately forgot the horrors of the night, and everything else around her.

A few hours later Shepard visited Ashley's farm. She had asked Liara to stay at home and the Asari seemed to be glad not to join her. Shepard had used the situation to her advantage, and took the Mako out of the garage. She just did not understand why, beside her and James, nobody loved the Mako and she enjoyed finally being able to drive it again. Unfortunately, she had to promise Liara to be careful, otherwise Liara would make sure that the Mako would not only be divided into separate parts, but would also be sold.

Shepard left the car happy and walked up to the main house of the farm, where Ashley was talking excitedly with James. "Ah Shepard," Ash greeted Jane, however Jane felt something was wrong. She nodded at the two and saw the problem. On the whole paddock, where yesterday the horses had grazed, was a large black crater, as though made by a tremendous biotic explosion.

She stopped and looked at Ash. "What happened," she asked, looking around. "Are the horses well?" She looked back at Williams that was seething with rage. "Yes, they were in the barn. The scanners say that that," she pointed to the area, "was caused by a strong biotic explosion, but it also destroyed all traces." Shepard felt a knot in her gut, but she said nothing. "I've already talked to the matriarch. The only currently present biotics are Asari and for the last few days had no ship landed."

Shepard rubbed her hand across her chin. "I'll talk to Liara, maybe her systems have recorded something." Ash smiled and nodded. "Good idea." Shepard waved goodbye and sat down in the Mako and drove until she was a few minutes away and stopped the vehicle. She wondered if she should worry Liara with the story. Liara would come to the same conclusion as her and Shepard did not like the thought.


	3. Chapter 3

Jane woke up alone again and her pulse quickened within seconds. She got up and looked for her daughter, but the little girl was asleep and looked fairly content. Shepard connected her Omnitool to the signal of the baby cradle and looked around. Liara's clothes were still where she had placed them in the evening, but her light blue robe was missing.

Jane slowly walked down to the ground floor. She was in complete darkness, the only shine coming from the big moon that hung over the colony. Jane looked around, but she could not find Liara. Not in her office or in the living room, not even in the kitchen. The house was still and quiet.

Again Jane got a sinking feeling in her stomach. She stood in the living room, in front of the huge windows that overlooked the garden. The lake, which joined to their garden, glittered in the dim light. Shepard almost did not see Liara. The Asari did not move, just stood at the edge of the lake and looked over the water. Shepard quietly opened the door and walked across the terrace into the garden. She was barefoot and felt the cool, damp grass beneath her feet.

She watched Liara, as she walked slowly towards her. She was wearing only the thin robe on her skin and had not closed it. She seemed to be in a trance. "Li?" Shepard said softly, but she did not get a response. "Liara?" The Asari still remained quiet. Shepard looked at her. She seemed completely peaceful and relaxed, but something was wrong. The edge of her robe was torn, something that it had not been in the evening, and the skin of her legs was scratched and blood flowed in several small rivers down to the floor. Liara's hands were also covered in blood, but as far as Shepard could see in the low light, it did not come from her.

"Liara?" She touched her arm lightly. The Asari looked at her, she smiled, but Shepard thought only: 'Not again', when she was thrown with a biotic wave in the lake and icy waters closed over her. Snorting, she showed up and looked around. Liara had thrown her almost fifty meters out into the lake and Shepard was just glad that there were no large animal living in it. She swam fast back to the shore. Liara was gone, but the footprints led back into the house.

Jane followed her. Liara was back in bed and seemed to be sleeping peacefully. Shepard felt a knot forming in her stomach. She would get Dr. Chakwas tomorrow to look after her, whether or not Liara wanted it. Jane turned, went back into the bathroom where she undressed to dry off. When she went back to bed, Liara hugged her. "For the Goddess' sake, you're cold," she murmured, half asleep and snuggled up close.

Liara woke up late in the morning and felt completely drained. A sharp pain shot through her head as she sat up. This kind of pain was not new to her, it came with an excessive use of biotic, but she had hardly used her powers in the last days. She slowly stood up and leaned on the bed until the room was no longer spinning around, before she went downstairs, where she was greeted by a broad smiling Jane. Shepard had put her daughter on her lap and fed her, while a cup of tea and breakfast were waiting for Liara.

"I did not want to wake you up," Shepard said cheerfully, but Liara saw a thoughtful gleam in her green eyes. "Did you sleep well?" Liara shook her head and held her hand immediately to the forehead as pain shot through her. She gave after some seconds both of her girls a kiss and sat down.

"Karen is coming over later," Jane said softly and Liara looked questioningly, then looked to the baby.

"I thought you could talk to her," added Jane and Liara looked at her quizzically. "I'm just having bad dreams," she finally said, although even in her ears her voice sounded tired. She took a sip of her tea and closed her eyes. She was so exhausted. "You're sleepwalking and having nightmares," said Jane. She got up and put Dahlia in her crib that stood near the living room. Then she came back, hugged Liara and held her. "And I'm getting worried."

Liara looked at her, "I sleepwalk?" Jane nodded. "I do not know what you did last night outside in your robe, but you obviously thought I needed a bath," she tried to sound amused. "The lake was very cold." Liara shot around with her head, and immediately everything around her got black. Maybe it was a good idea to talk to the doctor.

Ashley's mind slowly roused the idea that someone had something against her. She stood in the last horse box and looked at the big hole in the back wall and the underlying area. The grass and thorn bushes were completely burned. In the adjacent boxes there was no such damage and the horses had not even been worried.

Her favourite mare was gone, but her implanted transmitter indicated that she was not too far away. Ashley looked at the position and informed matriarch Aethyta so that they could meet in the vicinity. The horse was close to Shepard's house, the mare seemed to be in the garden. Yet Ash was not concerned about that, there was water and a small forest.

When Ashley found her mare, she was grazing peacefully under a tree. One reason for Ash's decision to breed horses had been the vegetation. The plants were quite similar to the ones on Earth and easily digestible for animals and humans. But she decided to wait for the Matriarch before getting closer.

"We have a problem," she said as Aethyta arrived and pointed to the body, which seemed to be tied to the horse. Anything she could tell from the distance was that this was an Asari. Aethyta sighed and shook her head. "Well, she could not have done that by herself." Ash nodded and walked slowly towards her mare. She looked at the deep scratches on the flank of the animal and the dried red blood.

The horse lifted her head and greeted her with a soft whinny. Ash pulled the bridle over to her without any problem and held her. She looked at Aethyta who came closer. Ash was proud of her; she was probably the only Asari, who was not completely hysterical and panicked when around her animals.

The Asari was dead. Ashley was easily able to determine this without an Omnitool. Aethyta shook her head. She was still a very young Asari, not even seventy years old and she did not die a peaceful death. She knew these tracks. Whoever had done this had literally torn the inner barriers in her brain apart. "Let's get her to Dr. Chakwas," she said, still shaking her head.


	4. Chapter 4

Shepard was, with her daughter in her arms, in the unofficial office of Aethyta: her bar. Jane was a bit more than angry after Aethyta had informed her about the incident with the dead Asari, and she did not like the allusions.

"Shepard, I'm on your side," Aethyta glared at the young woman. They both held back their built-up tension because of the baby, but the air between them was very tense. "AndI do not like it either, but from what has been found out by Dr. Chakwas, someone will want to talk with Liara." Shepard's eyes were cold as ice. "Look, if we want to relieve Liara, we need to play with open cards and from what Chakwas and you have just told me, she was not home on both nights. These wounds fit to the thorns, then the mental exhaustion." Aethyta hit with the palm of her right hand on the bar. "And the dead Asari was the daughter of a very influential matriarch. One that had years ago run an assassination attempt on Liara. The only reason she needed back then was Liara's connection to Benezia." The old Matriarch gritted her teeth.

"Liara didn't do anything," Shepard said softly. She went up and down to soothe the baby, who whined softly through the irritable mood. "Shepard, I know that too," or better yet, she hoped, "but I have to prove it." Shepard gave her a cold look. "After everything Liara has done in the past, she shouldn't have to prove anything!"

Aethyta shook her head. She went to Shepard, placed her hands on her shoulders, forcing the young woman look at her. "You yourself felt something was wrong. Or else you would have left your daughter at home. At home with Liara."

Shepard wanted to free herself from the grip, but Aethyta held her firm. "The matriarch sent a commando unit. She wants results and if she could, she'd even send a Justicar" She looked into Shepard's eyes and urged her: "You have to work with them."

Shepard pressed her teeth so hard that her jaw muscles cracked. Aethyta was right. Liara had been exhausted after Dr. Chakwas' investigation, so much so that she wanted to lie down and sleep for a few hours. But after the events of the last nights Shepard was concerned and had taken Dahlia with her. She was angrier with herself, because it was clearly obvious to Aethyta.

"If they show up, I'll talk to them, but there must be other evidence." Aethyta nodded and took a drink from behind the bar, "And we'll find it," she promised. She only hoped that she would end up right. Aethyta was worried, not only because of the allegations against her daughter, but also because of Shepard. She had a hunch that she would not stand by quietly if Liara would be discharged after everything that happened on Thessia.

Ashley heard the alarm, took her gun and ran outside, followed closely by James. She had the horse boxes all extra secured, but she saw one of her horses disappear in a huge cloud of dust. She looked through her sniper rifle and looked around, and then she blinked before she looked again.

If she was not fooling herself, Liara just disappeared with a furious gallop off her farm. She shook her head, that couldn't be, but she saw an Asari, in the blue and white uniform that Liara usually wore when she was working. The dust prevented Ash from seeing more and the horse moved away quickly.

Liara woke up from a nightmare and fell into another. Her head ached and she saw bright flashes. When her vision cleared, finally, she realized that she was completely submerged in red blood. She sat cross-legged on the floor and held the black head of a horse in her hands on her lap, which looked to her with big brown, but vacant eyes. The head was heavy, but she managed to throw it away some meters with a flash of her biotic. Then she saw the rest of the animal. It was completely torn, as if an animal had gone wild. She looked down herself, but of her white jacket was nothing white visible. It was torn in several places and under the fabric showed purple blood that together with the red began to dry slowly. She crawled back a few feet, until her back hit a stone. Then she took her head in her hands and closed her eyes, silently screaming.

After Ashley had called the Matriarch, Shepard had brought Dahlia to Dr. Chakwas. Now she was with Aethyta and Ashley on their way into the deepest hinterland. The sender of the horse stopped moving and Jane felt like she wanted to scream. After Ash had told her what had happened, she had hat tried to call Liara. Unfortunately without success.

She was almost mad with fear and through the doubt in the eyes of the others. In addition, a shuttle with a small Asari commando unit was on the way to their meeting place and a Justicar was among them. Jane prayed that they would reach Liara first. Her eyes met Aethyta, and then Ashley's. Jane didn´t like the expression of doubt in Ash's eyes and checked her weapon once more.


	5. Chapter 5

The shuttle landed.

Ashley got off first and slowly walked to the bloody spot on the ground. Had there not been the black fur, she would not have recognized her horse. She fell down to her knees, pounded hard on the rocky ground and dropped her head for a second, as she thought of her beautiful mare. The animal that had danced more like it had walked in the morning sun; that had, just a few hours ago, whinnied happily at the sight of fresh hay.

Then she raised her head and her eyes met the bloody Asari who was sitting just a few meters beside the horse's head on the floor. Ashley showed her teeth. She liked Liara, but in those seconds a tremendous wave of hatred flashed through her. If she had a weapon on her, she would have pulled the trigger.

A single tear ran down her cheek, then she stood up, walked back to the shuttle, and spoke with James over the comm. He would pick her up with a transporter. Then she sat down on the ground and leaned back against the cool metal, looking over the horse in the distance.

Aethyta followed Ashley, but went further in the direction of the Asari commando unit and the Justicar. She was not happy that a Justicar was involved. A commando was sometimes corrupt, a Justicar never and this one seemed cold and driven. Aethyta put herself in the way so that Shepard got the opportunity to reach Liara undisturbed. She had to admit, however reluctantly, that it did not look good for her daughter.

Shepard ran to her wife. She knelt before her, put her hand under her chin and forced her to gently look up. Their eyes met, and Jane felt her chest tighten. Liara's eyes, these two beautiful, shimmering blue oceans that could hide no feeling, no emotion, were broken.

Liara felt Shepard more than she perceived her. In her mind it screamed, scratched at her barriers, it whispered seductively just to attack again. Caught between wake and dream, she could barely focus on Shepard. Before her eyes, everything was blurry and she had lost all perception of reality.

"Li," Shepard spoke to her softly and for a moment Liara recognized her. She reached out with a hand to Shepard's cheek, but before she could touch her bondmate, the moment was over and she was caught in her mind again, where she could scream as loud as she wanted. No one could hear her.

"Shepard?" Jane looked up slowly as she heard a familiar voice. The Justicar was Samara. Shepard did not know whether to be relieved or worried that the situation worsened steadily. She watched for a moment, then got up. Shepard glanced at Liara and then to the other. Even Aethyta looked skeptical, the Matriarch hung her head. Her whole attitude expressed helplessness.

"Commander Shepard?" An energetic Asari stepped toward her. "Neyara," she introduced herself and Jane gave her a brief nod. "We are investigating the incidents. I'll talk to you later, but Dr. T'Soni will need to come with us for now." Her two companions flanked Neyara. Jane looked at her and shook her head. "Liara stays with me," Neyara gave her a cold look. "Shepard, you have no authority here. We will take your bondmate now for further questioning."

Samara went away from the others. She looked at the surroundings, tried to process the entire image and to connect it with the knowledge she had gathered over centuries. She did not really know T'Soni and that was a good thing. Although they had met twice during the war, they had never really gotten close on a personal level. Thankfully so, or else Samara would not be able to fulfill her task.

Samara wasn't entirely sure, but she sensed that something was wrong. She looked at the body of the animal. Then she looked back at the young Asari, who apparently seemed bathed in blood. Her jacket and trousers were soaked in it. She looked back at the trail and walked around the carcass. At one point, she bent down.

Then she knew what bothered her. There was not enough blood for such a large animal. The horse had been torn to pieces, the head severed. The environment should have been swimming in red blood and the ground was not of the structure that it could be all seeped in that fast. She went to the head and lifted it with a flare of her biotic. She would bet that all of the blood on the Asari just came from the head, but not from the rest of the animal. Samara looked left and then she saw it, a slight trace of blood, just a few drops and a half bloody shoe print. But T'Soni´s boots did not have any blood.

Shepard drew her weapon, put on armor-piercing ammunition and aimed at the commandos. "Liara stays with me." The eyes of the leading commando widened, but otherwise she did not react. "Think again over your next step!" Shepard glanced at Liara, then again to Neyara. The hand holding the gun was not shaking, not even when Samara came and stopped before her.

The Justicar put her hand on the gun and pushed it gently but firmly to the side. She looked Shepard right in the eyes and Jane returned her gaze.

"Do you trust me, Commander?" Jane did not blink, she clenched her teeth. Then she nodded and lowered the gun. Samara looked at Neyara who took a step back.

The Justicar went to Liara, who was still sitting on the floor. She squatted in front of her and looked at the young Asari, trying to catch her view. Samara cocked her head. She did not even blink. Then her eyes turned black and all hell seemed to break loose.

Liara's biotics exploded in a tremendous radius and threw all - except Samara and Jane, who stood behind the Justicar - to the ground. Within seconds Liara had catapulted herself into the air and her eyes flashed black and icy, while a cold, cruel smile played on her lips. She looked around until her eyes met Shepard. For a moment they looked at each other, then the air crackled as Liara generated an enormous singularity and threw it at Jane.


	6. Chapter 6

Samara's mind merged with the young Asari ones. She was used to the situation, because it was not the first time. Only the environment changed, according to the personal memories. In Liara's case Samara was in an ancient Prothean ruin. It was a dusty, barren planet over which a pale sun shone. A steady wind blew strange scents at her and kicked up shimmering dust.

Samara rose from the cross-legged position and looked around. Somewhere in this barren wasteland was Shepard´s bondmate and Samara had to find her. Afterwards, she would find the Asari responsible, because somewhere in Liara's mind was the culprit's mental shadow, hiding, controlling and manipulating the young Asari.

She felt the fear and helplessness as she watched through Liara's eyes a singularity fly at Shepard. "Stop," she commanded loudly and immediately the danger disappeared. "Help me," Liara's mental voice pleaded; whispered softly in the wind. Samara turned in circles searched the ruins which shifted and then she saw the young Asari, trapped in a stasis field.

"Hello? Is anyone there?" She called. Samara saw Shepard, who came from somewhere in the picture above. They were talking. Samara walked around the scene. She knew she would not find Liara in there; it was only the shadow of a memory that was there to distract her and lead her to a false trail.

She moved on, followed a path which brought her to a huge, kilometer high towering rock formation. Since it was just a mental projection, Samara could overcome these problems easily, but she could not risk overlooking anything. The road went down in circles until Samara was faced with a decision. She could go down or take a second path that would lead her up. Samara sat down, cross-legged, with her hands sliding over the floor. She attempted to feel which of the two paths would be the correct one in Liara's thoughts. She felt that the young Asari tried to help her, but whoever had her in their grasp, had no intention of handing her over and fought strongly against Samara. She emphasized only with a slight tremor that going right was the accurate one.

She got up again and trod the path that wound up the rock. She heard a chuckle, a softly whispered answer, as of two lovers. She saw Shepard, as she held her wife in her arms, whispering sweet nothings. Liara blushed and looked to the side, embarrassed. Samara spent no further notice to the memory and followed the path to its end.

She stood on top of a mountain. Around her drew a labyrinth of paths, ruins and tunnels. Memories floated past her, trying to entrain her. Samara's iron strong will was the only thing that helped her stay on the right path, and not get lost in the different levels where she would disappear in Liara's memories.

She sat down again, freed her own mind and searched. An eternity seemed to pass, even if it was just a fraction of a few seconds, then she saw it: two shimmering opals sparkled on the horizon. It was only a few seconds but Samara followed the direction and dived into another memory.

* * *

She found herself in a science lab. Rachni stormed in large waves and attacked. They were no trouble for Samara. However, she had not expected such a fierce attack. She fought through the lab until she walked through a door. The room beyond was created in a square and in every corner was another passage. In the middle was a platform with a control console. Over this in a tube sat a Rachni queen trapped and surrounded on either side with large tanks full off acid.

"Mother!" Samara turned around, as the image shimmered and Liara, along with Shepard and Tali entered the room. In addition, on the control platform stood Matriarch Beneziaand Samara was shortly overwhelmed by a wave of despair.

She herself knew the matriarch briefly and more from the reports related to Saren. But Benezia did not look at the scene itself, she rose from the memory and went to Samara. She did not blink, she turned towards her. The two circled each other. The Justicar knew that this was not Liara's mother, only a borrowed figure, one with which the culprit would be able to get access to the Asari and destroy her.

Samara was attacked and blocked it. It looked like a biotic battle, but was only the projection of both their thoughts and her opponent was strong. So strong that even the Justicar had some problems to keep up. She went to her knees, produced a barrier and began slowly reciting an old chant; to refocus. Then she slammed the Benezia figure with a wave of incredible force. The figure blocked it off, but withdrew into another, deeper memory. Samara sprinted to the door to reach it in time, but the road closed before her. The images began to blur, danced and whirled faster and faster. She felt Liara helping her find her again in her memories. Finally the carousel ride stopped and Samara found herself in an apartment.

"I do not understand why you want to study archaeology and waste your potential. You know that I'm working on the future for us Asari and I need you."

Samara looked around the apartment, it was tall, colorful and bright yellow flowers were distributed everywhere. She looked out the window and realized that she was on Thessia. The conversation came from the next room and Samara walked slowly and carefully around the corner. She did not hear Liara's answer, but it seemed to be a conversation the two had had often.

"Well," Benezia finally sighed resignedly. "If you must absolutely continue to rebel... I spoke with a friend at the University of Serrice. In two days, you can start."

Benezia looked at her as Samara entered the room. A younger version of Liara sat at a desk and worked on a computer. Since the Justicar was prepared this time for an attack, it caused her no problems to block. She catapulted herself forward and pushed the figure out of the window with her.

They fell several floors. It was irritating, but the impact on the ground produced no pain. Nevertheless Samara knew from experience that her own body would react with bruises and in the worst case even with fractions, but this also meant the intruder would show injury as well. She tried to keep her, to grab her, but when the mask was crumbling, she disappeared.

Samara was lying on the green grass under the apartment house and pumped before she turned on her back and got up. She did not like the direction of the memories and she felt that her time was running out. The younger Liara got in her memories, the weaker she and Samara would be and the stronger the intruder.

The next memory was in the same park, but some thirty years earlier. Liara was much younger, she was reading in the grass and the Matriarch was talking to her. Samara jumped forward and crashed at full speed, a warp throwing, against her. 'Benezia' fell to the ground. The mask crumbled further. It was difficult to maintain the image and under the attacks by the Justicar it cost too much power.

Samara would only need a little longer to see the Asari and the perpetrator knew it, therefore fled again. Only this time Samara followed her immediately.

She stood next to a three-year old Liara. The other Asari smiled coldly, that was Liara's last – or her first - memory and she felt that she was close to a victory. In this memory, Liara had nothing to oppose her. She was defenseless. If she destroyed her mind now she would also destroy the Asari and she would finally get her revenge. She grabbed the child and pulled her closer.

Samara was desperate. Her strength was at the end and she felt like she was withdrawn from her body. This double burden took its toll, but she would not budge. Then she felt someone from the outside help her with a burst of energy, someone melded with her and together they tore the facade. The face of the intruder shone brightly before it dissolved. Seconds before disappearing, Samara recognized her true face. Exhaustion took hold and she broke down and plunged into darkness.

* * *

Karin sat on the sofa. Asleep in her arms was the little Asari and in her free hand, she balanced a data pad when someone knocked.

She carefully put Dahlia into the transport bed. '_What a sweet baby'_, she thought, '_and so loving_'. When she opened the door, Karin did not recognize the dark sky and lightning. Her eyes were merely on the Asari before her. She looked as though she had been attacked. She was bleeding from her ears and eyes. Then she stumbled toward the human and the doctor caught her.

Karin helped her out a completely torn white-blue coat. "Help," muttered the Asari. When Karin turned around to let her into the house, a cold smile played across the Asari's lips. She followed her and left a red footprint on the floor before entering the doctor's house.


	7. Chapter 7

After the singularity disappeared, Shepard hurried to her wife. She caught Liara and anxiously held her in her arms, while she looked over to Aethyta who was holding an unconscious Justicar. Her eyes continued to the others, unable to comprehend what Samara had just done. Though she had no idea what was going on, Aetyhta had melded with the Justicar. Shepard's only option was to put her faith in both of them, as she trusted them considerably.

Samara looked horrible. She was covered in blood and several dark bruises shimmered purple under blue skin.

Liara's face looked peaceful, however. She breathed quietly in Shepard's arms, but did not wake up. "We should take them to Dr. Chakwas," Jane suggested, and got up to go to the shuttle. Ashley avoided her. She would wait for James. She did not even bother looking at Liara or the other Asari.

Dr. Chakwas noticed the biotic attack on her more from the corner of her eye. The Asari lit up, but her biotic powers seemed to be consumed. She hurled a warp field against Karin, but it broke down before reaching the doctor. The Asari was panting hard, coughing up blood, wavering, but in the end slowly walked to Karin.

Karin, who tried to avoid her, was stumbling as she walked backwards. She fell to the side, got a kick to the temple and had to fight not to lose consciousness. "Thank you, for making this so easy for me, Doctor," she heard an icy voice, before a second hit knocked her out.

_´Human´,_thought Tevara disgusted, ´_Short-lived, fast-expanding, all intruding insects´_. She hated humans. The Asari went over to the unconscious woman in the living room, looked around and smiled coldly. After the disaster with the Justicar, so close before reaching her goal, she did not fool herself. The Justicar had seen her mental projection, had broken the mask and probably recognized her. She now had a choice. Die, or forever remain on the run. But she was tired. Perhaps she would not be able to destroy T'Soni for what that bitch had done to her, but at least, she could still harm her.

She stood over the little Asari – T´Soni's child - and smiled coldly. She regretted slightly that it was so easy. Even if the doctor could have escaped, no one was outside. Tevara found it ridiculous how easily Asari reacted to this tale with the demon. A small projection in the sky and they were paralyzed with fear and running. Sometimes, the genetic transmission of information within her people proved to be harmful, or in her case, useful.

Tevara had prepared her revenge well. For years she followed T'Soni, but during the war it was impossible to get close. It then took a few months to track her down again in this colony, but after that it was easy. For months now, she had given her small doses of a drug, and Shepard had at the start been away for quite some time, so taking control of T'soni's nightmares was easier.

_´A heroine? Ha!´,_she thought bitterly. To Tevara, Liara was nothing more than a cold-blooded murderer who had killed her bondmate without giving her a chance. Tevara had seen the recording from the surveillance video._"Nyxeris, can you come in please?"_Unknowingly, Nyxeris had gone to her boss' office. T'Soni had expected her with a singularity. Nyxeris had blocked the first attacks and even countered, but she had never really had a chance. In the end she had been torn to shreds by a biotic wave. Tevara had seen no regret on T´Soni's face; she was cold, calculating and without feelings. Well, now she would harm her. In the same way.

She felt something hit her neck._´Damn human, why don't you stay asleep?´_, she thought. She turned and hit the doctor hard.

When they reached the colony, it was strangely silent. Shepard had a bad feeling; she looked worried and decided to leave Liara and Samara in the shuttle. She tried to have Aethyta wait there, but the matriarch was a stubborn one. Shepard sighed and began to walk slowly, keeping the environment in mind, to the front of her house. From inside came a sharp cry and the sound of shattering glass. When she discovered a red bloody footprint on the threshold, Jane became dull. She threw to the commandos an alarmed look and gestured them to walk around the house. The three Asari nodded, drew their weapons and distributed.

She threw Aethyta a penetrating gaze, trying to convince her to stay in the shuttle, but the matriarch just snorted and followed Shepard. The latter checked the settings of her gun one last time before they entered the house.

She crept toward the living room. An Asari stood in the middle of the room. Her clothes were sticky with red blood and completely torn. Karen knelt between her and the baby. The human doctor seemed to have plugged in a lot, but the Asari did not look good either. Shepard felt a cold wave sweep over her, tensed and jumped at the Asari. The Asari turned and screamed in surprise as she was thrown to the ground roughly by Shepard.

Karin did not look at Shepard. It was not a pretty sight, because the former Commander held nothing back and let her anger run wild. The doctor hung her head and pumped until she felt a warm touch that placed her gently on her feet. Thankfully, she looked up and looked into Aethyta's cold eyes. No doubt, should Shepard subside, the matriarch would step in and give the rest to the Asari.

Karin swayed and immediately the matriarch gave her attention to her and the baby. After she verified that Dahlia was fine, Aethyta turned Karin's head gently around and surveyed the damage. Karin caught herself as she blushed like a young girl and shook her head over herself inwardly. Aethyta looked into her eyes and took her into an embrace. Karin hesitated for a moment, but then her body responded automatically caused by the shock. She began to tremble as she was gently held by Aethyta.

"Shepard!" Jane registered only in passing that someone was calling her. She was too busy venting her frustration and anger of the past few weeks. Neyara stood behind her and pulled her back with a firm grip around the waist. "If she survives, we can still talk to her." The commando just said and waited until Shepard calmed down before she let her go.

The Asari on the ground could barely see out of her eyes, she had several large lacerations and certainly had some bruises. Shepard nodded. She closed and opened her hands and fought for a calm pulse. Her green eyes flashed dangerously, but the leader of the Commandos had made a point. She wanted this Asari to talk before she died. Liara would want to understand the reason for her actions.

Tevara just smiled coldly, she gasped and coughed up blood. But when Samara, battered, but upright entered the room, Shepard saw the flicker of fear in her eyes. Even Neyara retreated, as the Justicar went to the Asari on the floor and knelt before her. Tevara tried to creep back, but Shepard put one foot firmly on her torso.

Samara's eyes turned black, as it entered the mind of the Asari. The latter gave a tortured sound, twisted, fought against the Justicar, but in the end she succumbed and collapsed.

Samara rose elegantly and drew her gun. "Find peace in the embrace of the Goddess," she said in disgust before she pulled the trigger.


	8. Chapter 8

Several days had passed since the attack. Jane woke up in the morning, once again alone. She knew she would find Liara in the living room. She would be sitting with Dahlia in her arms in her favorite chair, looking out of the window and thinking about what had happened. Liara was still trying to understand it, to find at least some peace with the situation, as she tried to fight her fear. The fear that she could have hurt her daughter or Jane, even if she had been controlled from the outside.

Samara had lost consciousness for two days. During this time, Shepard had managed to stop Liara from being transported to Thessia, because she had insisted on her Spectre status. Neyara had not liked that, and she had also been surprised. Shepard had left the alliance a few months ago. No one had ever asked that she also ceded her position as Spectre. Aethyta had Liara therefore put under the supervision of her bondmate, till Samara could clear up the situation.

Even after the Justicar had told them what she had learned in the mind of the Asari, Jane found it hard to understand the full extent. Revenge as a motive she could understand, but all the effort seemed ill to her.

Tevara had, over the last four months, brought nearly every Asari in the colony into contact with a hallucinogenic drug. It was the red fruits of Thessia which humans could not stomach well. She had gotten a job at the Transportation Center, and all supplies had passed her. Then the dose of the hallucinogen had steadily been increased so that they all fled at the right time before the image of the demon.

Liara´s dose had been higher from the beginning on. Awake, there were no effects, except headache and slight irritation, but if the person was asleep, the drug interrupted the mental barriers and one could control their victims. Liara had defended herself even then and Tevara had changed her strategy, had tried to drive Liara insane.

Samara had observed in Tevara's mind how she had killed the young Asari to put Liara in the position where a commando unit would be sent to retrieve her. Would she have succeeded in Liara's mind, the Asari would have had no chance to stop her and would have become a danger to herself and others. She would have been taken to custody and watched twenty-four hours each day.

Tevara had been crazy. It was the only explanation for such behavior for Shepard. After the death of her bondmate Nyxeris, she had lived only for her revenge. Shepard just wished that she would have pulled the trigger instead of Samara. The Asari commandos had returned to Thessia and unfortunately Samara had left the colony as well.

Shepard stood up, put on a Hoodie and went downstairs. Liara was where Jane had suspected it. Jane slid to the back of the chair and took her in her arms. She put a hand around her and the other over her daughter. "Everything okay?" she asked softly. She looked at the baby who peacefully lay in the arms of her mother and was looking up at her out of big green eyes. Eyes that looked so much like Jane's. Liara sighed, snuggled close on to Shepard and nodded. "Yes, I just needed a moment." Shepard kissed her on the temple.

"I just spoke with Ashley," Shepard turned her head gently, since Liara sounded a little sad. "Li, she knows that you had nothing to do with it," Shepard had to swallow as she saw the desperate look in her bondmate's eyes, but Liara nodded. "She understands." Jane kissed the corner of Liara's mouth and the Asari smiled shyly.

"I asked her if she would like to come by later." Shepard looked at her skeptically. "And she'll be bringing something with her..." Jane suppressed the rising joy. "Are you sure?"

Liara nodded. "Yes I am."

Shepard beamed. "Have you spoken to your father?" Liara's eyes darkened as she thought of the talk, but she nodded bravely. "Yes, I ... it was ... interesting," a slight blush spread on her cheeks. "Why?" Shepard asked amused. "Karen was with her and," Liara had to stop. She was flaming red as she remembered the awkward conversation with a very naked human doctor in her father's bed.

"Then the Doctor feels better, huh?" Jane grinned and Liara nodded. "It seems so."

~the End ~

**Thank you for following till the end. I hope you had a lot fun and that it was a little surprise. And thank you really a lot Sarroush for helping me. Feel hugged :)**


End file.
